Decision comes after 6th Circuit lifts injunction.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will hold a special session on January 7, 2022, to consider challenges to President Joe Biden’s COVID vaccine mandates related to businesses that employee over 100 workers and health care facilities that receive federal Medicare and Medicaid funding. The decision to quickly hold arguments on the requirements is seen as unusual as the Court rarely holds emergency sessions.
The move comes after the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the Biden Administration mandate on the businesses, allowing the Department of Labor through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) to implement its rules. That mandate had been stalled when the 5th Circuit issued a stay on the President’s mandate in early November.
Following the ruling from the 6th Circuit, OSHA advised businesses that it will begin citations for noncompliance after January 10, 2022. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh then asked the Biden Administration to respond to appeals filed challenging the 6th Circuit’s ruling by December 30, 2021.
The other Biden vaccine mandate related to health care facilities and health care workers has also been blocked by the 5th Circuit and the 8th Circuit. This mandate is reported to impact just under 20 million workers across the nation.
Mississippi is among the states that have challenged the Biden Administration’s authority to implement these mandates, along with the others he has issued in recent months.
Frank Corder
